This invention relates to milling cutters, and particularly to finishing cutters.
Milling cutters having insert blades employ a variety of devices for fixedly clamping the blades into the cutter body slots. Such typically employ slanted and offset clamping screws extending through the sides of the blade into the cutter body to press it into the walls of the slot, or wedges which press against one of the two flat sides of the blade to press the blade against the bottom of the slot. Any adjustment of the blade position, as for controlled blade run out, is achieved by loosening the clamping screw or wedge, adjusting the blade position as with a shim or an adjusting screw, or hand setting to a gage, plate, or similar device, and tightening the clamping device.
Tightening of blade clamping devices creates stress which is believed to cause distortion of the cutter bodies. Additionally, retightening of the clamping device after blade adjustment can cause slight blade shift. Any such distortion and/or shift can cause the blades to not track and thereby have detrimental results during use of the cutter, particularly during finishing operations.
The use of a conventional wedge behind or in front of the blade for securing the blade has also been found to cause difficulty due to the possibility of unwanted wedge shifting as well as body distortion.